Best Android games: what you should be playing in 2015

Update: Racing games added

Here at AndroidPIT we've compiled a list of the best Android games to help you navigate the Play Store's myriad titles. Join us as we explore the various game genres and find all the best titles to install on your Android phone or tablet in 2015. Are you ready?

New Android games this month

Every month we'll bring you scorching hot new games, plucked from the undiscovered depths of Play Store obscurity, so you always stay on the cutting edge of what's worth playing on your Android smartphone. Be the one to tell your friends what's worth playing right now.

Best Android racing games

Reckless Racing 3

Reckless Racing 3 is Micro Machines-style racer with an isometric view, allowing you to look down from above, which produces some fantastically frenetic contests.

Reckless racing 3 uses four on-screen controls for turning right and left, and driving forwards or in reverse. It might seem like a lot compared to other racers in which you just tilt the screen, but it handles perfectly.

That’s not to say that it’s easy to control — your car is perpetually slip-sliding around the track and it’s a battle to keep it in place. It's this control setup that makes the experience, but thankfully the 3D graphics also look the part and the maps are highly realistic.

It’s a throwback to the arcade-y racing games from the 90s (anybody old enough to remember Super Skidmarks?) and it's one of the best racers on Android.

Angry Birds Go!

Angry Birds Go! is a free-to-play racing game from Rovio, the team which brought us the original Angry Birds.

It looks like a cartoon with neatly cel-shaded graphics and plays something like Mario Kart. It features a number of different modes, such as avoiding obstacles, racing others, crashing through a predetermined number of items, and boss chases.

It feels like a playable version of Wacky Races. Cars can be upgraded, and new characters are unlocked as you progress, each with their own unique characteristics.

It’s clear that the painterly visuals arrive from a highly talented team of artists, animations and backgrounds are consistently strong. The shallow learning-curve also makes it easy and fun to get to grips with, and once you get past the introductory levels you're in for an entertaining ride.

Riptide GP2

Reminiscent of Nintendo classic Wave Race, Riptide GP2 is a futuristic jet ski racer. The career mode is fairly typical; you earn money depending on your race position which you use to buy simple vehicle upgrades.

What it lacks in originality, Riptide 2 makes up for with excellent 3D graphics and the controls are tight. Rotating your device even slightly translates accurately on-screen. It might be too sensitive for some, but the controls and sensitivity can both be customized to your liking.

To make races more interesting there are ramps placed around the map - successfully completing a trick on them grants you a boost. It presents a nice risk/reward scenario into the courses, as failing to land the trick properly will slow you down.

It’s tough to get a three-star rating on every race, but the challenge is welcome in a game which handles as good as Riptide GP2 does. Check it out via the Play Store link below.

Best Android fighting games

Marvel Contest of Champions

Featuring some of the greatest Marvel characters ever, Marvel Contest of Champions is the Android brawler you’ve been waiting for. Battle your way through a variety of stages as you level-up and unlock new characters in this epic quest.

It’s Marvel Contest of Champions control-precision which makes this one of the best fighters out there. It feels incredibly fluid and responsive: simply swiping with your thumbs in different directions brings out a range of perfectly animated attacks, and there are no annoying on-screen controls to try and connect with.

You’ll have to be running a pretty modern device to play it smoothly, but if you’re itching to battle it out as some of your Marvel favorites, you need to check this out. It's free in the Play Store with in-app purchases.

WWE Immortals

We've been playing WWE Immortals recently for an epic mix of fantasy and, well, almost reality, fusing the cast of Injustice: Gods Among Us with pro-wrestlers for some awesome silly fun. The graphics and animations are top-notch, and you can tag up to three characters for some thrilling three-on-three match-ups. Get ready to rumble.

SOULCALIBUR

SOULCALIBUR (yes, all caps) is an arcade classic: the fact that so little has changed between its original release in 1998 and now speaks volumes about its mechanics.

It’s a somewhat predictable fighter by today's standards, there aren’t any surprises here in terms of gameplay, but its tried and tested formula provides some of the most enjoyable battles in the genre. You don’t need to memorize a whole bunch of complicated button presses to unleash a combo in this fighter, anyone could have a decent, ahem, stab at playing it. Yet it maintains the nuance to allow experienced players to gain an edge in combat.

SOULCALIBUR features a variety of fighters, each with unique weapons and moves, but it disappointingly lacks multiplayer support, and it's one of the more expensive games (currently 13.99 USD) in the Play Store. Still, as a pure fighting experience on Android, it’s one of the best.

Best Android strategy games

Frozen Synapse

Frozen Synapse was an indie PC classic long-before it hit Android, and what a game it is. Frozen Synapse is a squad-based, turn-based, tactical shooter which sees you take control of a small assault team to take down an enemy team in a single player campaign, or other players in multiplayer.

Don’t let the minimalist cyberpunk art deter you, Frozen Synapse brings a whole new dimension to turn-based strategy by having both turns occur simultaneously, leading to plenty of nervy encounters with complex decision-making and second-guessing. The multiplayer is some of the best you’ll find anywhere, on any platform. For 2.99 USD at the Play Store, it’s an absolute steal.

XCOM: Enemy Within

XCOM: Enemy Within is one of the best Android strategy games because it wasn't founded on free-to-play principles like many other popular strategy games from the Play Store. It was built to be enjoyed fully without any additional purchases.

This was an award-winning strategy title for PC long before it ever made its way to Android, so expect top-end graphics, but also a top-end Play Store price. We can assure you it is well worth the initial investment, though.

DomiNations

DomiNations might be fairly new on the Android scene but it has already amassed over a million downloads, and a high level of critical acclaim. Running somewhere between Clash of Clans and Civilization, DomiNations is a basebuilding game in which players take control of an entire nation “from the stone age to the space age” to explore, expand and conquer the world.

The level of strategy afforded by DomiNations is far beyond what is seen on most Android games. Should you spend money on building a stronger army, or plow it into researching a new technology at the library? DomiNations is filled with these minute-to-minute decisions which could chances of victory in your favor, as well as some sweeping battles to take part in. Free to Play and fresh, check it out in the Play Store.

Best Android action games

Brothers in Arms 3

The guys at Gameloft know how to make games for Android. With Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5 and N.O.V.A 3 under its belt, a few things are guaranteed: high-production value and a free-to-play price structure. Brothers in Arms 3 might represent the best action game Gameloft released to date - it's a realistic third-person shooter in which you guide your character, Sergeant Wright, through a series of WWII settings, upgrading his weapons and abilities along the way.

The lighting, textures and sound are all fantastic, combining to create a strong atmosphere, pulling you into the action. Occasionally, however, in-app purchases will drag you out, but this is the "price you pay" for freely downloadable title.

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead: Season One and The Walking Dead: Season Two, are a different kind of Android action game. What they like in high-octane thrills they more than make up for with strong story and These disturbingly awesome point-and-click adventure games will keep you freaked out and entertained at the same time. Did we mention zombies?

The World Ends With You

Originally released on the Nintendo DS in 2007, The World Ends With You made its way onto Android 7 years later in June 2014. Why was it brought out of the realms of relative obscurity and placed on the Play Store? Because it is fantastic.

Developed in part by the company responsible for Final Fantasy (Square Enix) this side-scrolling action game has elements of RPGs, rhythm games, card games and more. It also introduced a unique gameplay feature involving collectible pins in which wearing a certain pin in a certain district (the game is set in Tokyo) will give your character a certain buff, in accordance with the fashion in that area.

It’s smashing game with an art style that still holds up after seven years; let’s just hope the steep entry price (17.99 USD) doesn’t turn people off.

Best offline games

Our current favorite:Ridiculous Fishing is easily our favorite offline Android game. Mostly because it doesn't just stop at fishing for fish, but also blasting them with a whole arsenal of weaponry. No one ever said the fish had to get on your place in one piece, so bazookas are totally legitimate fishing tackle too. Cast away.

If you find yourself almost out of your data allowance or facing a long trip where you need to conserve battery life, offline games are a must-have in your games repertoire. Take a look at our roundup of the best Android offline games to keep on your phone for those ''no internet'' fun times.

Best Android puzzle games

Our current favorite: One of the best Android puzzle games of all time is Monument Valley,highlighted on the Google Play Store as one of the best of 2014 and sitting at the top of basically every ''must play'' list of last year. For painterly beauty, mind-bending architectural geometry (think MC Escher), and clever puzzles that only get more difficult, be sure to check it out.

If you're after some other great puzzle games for Android, there's plenty to choose from. They're great for your morning commute, waiting at the Dr's office, or when you get dragged along shopping by your girlfriend. Sometimes brainless fun, and other times more complicated than you would think, puzzle games are just as essential as your phone itself. Check our our other favorites.

Best Android endless runner games

Our current favorite: From our list of the best endless runner games, we've plucked out our all-time favorite: Subway Surfers. The game has you dodging objects for as long as you can as you step into the role of a graffiti artist who has got the fuzz hot on his heels. Along the way, you collect power ups and coins, fly in the air and even ride a hoverboard. The game has great controls, awesome graphics and gameplay that will have you coming back for more and more. Just don't get caught.

Android endless runner games are one of the coolest genres around, because they are so simple to pick up and so hard to put down. Awesome titles like like Temple Run or JetPack Joyride are known by everybody, but we've delved deeper and plucked out some truly undiscovered gems for your playing enjoyment.

Originally from the UK, Scott graduated in Popular Music Studies at Newcastle University and attributes most of his success there to his beloved Samsung Galaxy S2. A dedicated Android fan, Scott has never owned an Apple device, of any kind, and doesn't see this changing anytime soon.

Try "Back Off" by seekpiits a local multiplayer game and the devs say that it will be cross platform when the apple version comes out.its similar to johann sebastian joust on ps4 and there doesnt seem to be a limit on the number of people that can play at any one time. i had 6 in my house and had a right laugh. keep a good grip of your phone though!